Treasure Planet II: Pirate Quest
by Scotland's Fiery Rose
Summary: Maria Trelawney dreams of life beyond her invalid state. After falling in love with Jim Hawkins, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of piracy, treasure and danger. Can Silver get her back to Jim? JimxOC, no Mary Sues allowed, no flamers allowed. R
1. Chapter 1: Dreams and Wishes

Chapter One: The Princess in the Tower

Somewhere in the far reaches of the Etherium a star fell.

Two wide, pale blue eyes locked on to that star and watched as it shot across the darkness, following its last plunge into nothingness. Those eyes were set in a face as pale as china, skin that had never been touched by the sun it seemed. Ringlets of copper-brown hair twirled down and framed that doll-face like ivy vines, tendrils that reached past her shoulders. She pressed one slender, frail hand to the enforced glass panes of her bedroom window and let out a barely audible sigh, a whispery sound that echoed all the longing of a bird in a cage. Light from the dimly-lit lamps and fiberglass chandelier shone around her, creating a golden halo around her silhouette, visible to only the keenest of eyes from below. Three stories below. This was no ordinary house-- it was a splendid mansion, one of the largest and most ornate in Montressor-- and the lonely young woman who knelt by her windowsill, her legs buried in a thick array of sheets, thermal blankets and expensive nightgown, was no ordinary girl. She kept her vision trained on the falling star until it winked out of existence, blasted by some weapon or consumed by some otherworldly atmosphere. She kept sitting on her bed and stared off into the distance, dreaming of the stars.

"Miss Maria," a somewhat flat, monotone female voice droned, and it sounded as if it came from the bottom of a well, "Keep away from the window, dearest- there's a slight draft. Your parents would not approve."

The girl did not budge, but slowly nodded her head, the languid movement of one who is lost in reverie.

"Miss Maria, you must move away from the window." the mechanical voice urged.

The girl sat back with a pouty sound, a small _hmph!_ that was emphasized by slumped shoulders and a tilt of the head. "I know, I know. I could catch cold." She turned to face the person who had so rudely interrupted her daydreaming. "Bother you, A.N.N. You never let me have any time to myself. I'm not a little girl anymore and I certainly don't see the danger in looking out of a window."

"Hush now. It's past your bedtime and you know it. You need your rest." A.N.N., the household's Advanced Nanosensory Nanny scolded. She was as tall as a grown man, a gold and bronze plated android with female shape and two bright, piercing blue ocular lenses. She was extraordinarily bedecked with gizmos, gadgets and multifunctional appliances, all necessary for cleaning, cooking and keeping the property and its occupants protected. She flicked a metallic finger and the lights dimmed considerably. "Room perimeter lockdown will commence in five minutes."

"All right." The girl turned and hopped down from her bed. As she did so the right sleeve of her nightgown trailed in the air. It was empty. There was no flesh and blood arm there, just a shoulder. No scars either.

Maria Andromeda Trelawney climbed under her covers, pulled the thick blankets up to her chin, snuggled down, then watched with half-lidded eyes as A.N.N exited the room, her robot feet clacking on the tiles. The door swished shut. Minutes later a strange blue light washed over the door and over the four walls of her room, a sequenced series of cubes that formed a protective barrier, an energy shield of sorts. Nothing could get into this room...or out.

As soon as she was sure that her nanny was gone, the girl pushed off the covers and swung her legs down. She winced as the soles of her bare feet touched the cold floor. She tiptoed out of bed and went over to a small chest by her bureau, which was laden with dolls and educational computer screens now gone blank for the night. She squatted and tapped the stylized gold plate on the lid of the chest, a square about three inches high and five inches wide. It rose up to reveal a keypad. Using her only hand, the left, she typed in a short passcode and waited for the device to analyze it. _Click._ The chest unlocked and the lid lifted itself up. Maria reached into the chest and pulled out a battered, worn book, then quickly shut the chest and typed in her lock code. It snapped and would not open again unless she wanted it to.

Maria climbed back into bed, the book in the crook of her elbow. She settled herself down, leaned against her pillow, then opened the book. Holographic light flooded from the pages, reflecting off her wide eyes. An image came into focus, that of a stately fortress surrounded by green fields. A perfect blue sky filled with puffy clouds hovered over the fortress. It was a fairy tale, a childish one, and Maria was certainly too old for fairy tales. But the teenaged invalid stared hard at the unfolding story like a small child, her attention focused on what would happen next.

"_Long ago, before anyone ever thought about flying anywhere and no worlds were connected, there was a distant, beautiful planet called Fantarica. The king and queen of this planet lived in a royal castle high in the mountains that sat atop the world. Atop this castle was a tower, and in this tower lived...a princess."_

Maria flipped the page. Another image popped up, that of a lonely, towering spire with a small window in it. A girl stared out the window, her face sad but radiant and lovely.

"_The princess was so beautiful that every man on the planet wanted to marry her, which caused a great deal of fighting. To quell the violence, the king had his daughter locked up in a tall tower, where she would live away from the world. No one could see her or be with her except the king, the queen, and a select few of the servants. The girl cried bitter tears night after night in her lonely abode, wishing on a far-off star for a better life. She had everything her heart desired...except a friend."_

Next page. This time there was a unicorn bearing a slender rider in a dark cloak.

"_The Princess soon grew weary of her lot in life and started wasting away, languishing in her bower. So her brother the Prince, seeing that his sister would soon die if she was not made happy, spirited her from her tower and gave her his finest steed so that she could attend the Crystal Star Ball. On she rode, her heart set on finding freedom."_

Again Maria turned the page. This image showed a glasslike ballroom full of dancing couples.

"_She arrived at the Crystal Star Ball and everyone praised her radiance, her beauty. As she basked in the glow of the crystal halls a young soldier asked her to dance. She danced with him and, as he was quite handsome and kind, fell in love with him before the night was through. But before he could ask her to marry him, a wicked dragon came and seized her, whisking her away to the Caverns of Fire."_

The next scene was a battle. The handsome soldier fought against the evil dragon with a white laser sword while the Princess looked on, helpless.

"_The soldier followed the evil dragon and challenged him to a fight, determined to reclaim his love. Back and forth they went, fire belching from the dragon's maw as the soldier heroically struck with his enchanted blade."_

The last scene was a wedding day, the soldier and the Princess hand in hand.

"_The dragon was killed by the brave soldier, who took his love back to the palace and asked her hand in marriage. The king and queen, now sorry for their mistake, consented, and the Princess was finally united with her one true love."_

"And they all lived happily ever after." Maria said in unison with the book's automated voice. She flipped the book shut and let out a pitiful sigh. Starlight shone through the window, a faint light that bathed the room with a silvery glow. Maria gazed up at the far-off galaxies, her eyes wistful. She felt just like the princess in the story: trapped. Locked in. That was true, but the reason was different. The reason for Maria's "imprisonment" was this: she was "deformed". Imperfect. Flawed.

She rubbed the shoulder stump of her right arm ruefully. No horrible accident had mutilated her; it was a birth defect. The skin was smooth, a perfect place, no scars or stitches. She was simply unique, but her parents didn't think that way. To them she was a disgrace, a blight on their perfect pedigree of heritage, a genetic flub. So they hid her away in their huge house, keeping her from the world...hiding her from the world. They were ashamed of her and she knew it. They loved her, but they wouldn't anyone else love her.

_I wish I had a handsome soldier. I wish I could break that window and fly into the Etherium. I wish...I wish I was free._

Maria tucked the book under her pillow and huddled down, letting her eyes drift shut. She had lived in this house all her life, sheltered and protected. It was a lovely house, furnished with the best things in Montressor, but to her it was a prison. She so desperately wanted out. To be free....

_Princess Maria wished upon a star, praying for a guardian angel to show her the way..._

"I wish my life could be a fairy tale." Maria whispered, a small drop of wetness escaping her eye. It ran down the side of her forehead and soaked into the pillow. "I wish I could have a happily ever after."

_I wish I could be free!_

_-------------------------_

Montressor Spaceport. Nowhere near the Trelawney mansion.

A single dark shadow soared through the sky, speeding past houses and streets and open docking areas with deft skill that seemed to defy logic. At first it looked like a bird, a big oversized bird that must have had an engine stuck to its tail. Closer examination told a different story. It was a sleek solar surfer, a swift airborne craft big enough for one daredevil pilot. The rider of this surfer was a young man of about twenty, a slim but lean lad with brown hair and teal-blue eyes. He wore fine clothes but had on a long black overcoat over those, a patched and sorry garment more fit for a homeless bum. He didn't seem to care much about his appearance as he sped through the air, his knuckles white as he gripped the sail of his craft and dug his heels into the board. "Yeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!" he yelled, executing an almost impossible turn in midair that would have ripped a lesser surfer in half. On he flew, his adrenaline pumping in overdrive through his veins, his mind racing as he enjoyed the death-defying thrills of his favorite pastime. Everything else in the world blurred together and ceased to bother him when he did this.

A hawk in flight.

Jim Hawkins was the master of Montressor's skies.

Again and again he headed toward buildings, overhangs, passing ships, looking like a total kamikaze—then he pulled up and evaded death by a mere fraction of an inch. Once or twice the tail end of his surfer would scrape a line of sparks on some obstacle, but never did he fail. It was his talent. He nosedived and pulled up, then spiraled straight up into the air, both arms spread like wings as the wind roared and whipped around him. His long bangs streamed back, baring his handsome face to the elements. He closed his eyes and a grin split his face. Around and over he jerked, pulling stunts that put the best professional performers to shame. Then he rocketed downward, whooping with wild joy as the wind whistled past him. Nothing could stop him when he was in his element. Nothing.

Minutes or hours, he couldn't tell, but eventually he realized that he had a very pressing need to be elsewhere. Home.

The solar surfer blazed on, heading for a sleepy inn.

"James Pleiades Hawkins!?"

Sarah Hawkins, Jim's mother, crossed her arms and rolled her dark eyes as she assessed her grown son's windblown, disheveled appearance. "Your graduation is tomorrow and you have to dirty yourself up flying around, trying to get yourself killed! I doubt they'd hang your certificate on your coffin."

"Just a de-stresser, Mom. Hey, I know what I'm doing." Jim explained, combing through his messed-up hair with his fingers. He wriggled out of his shabby overcoat and wrinkled his nose as he picked off a bug that had been splattered in mid-flight. "Besides, it's what I do best when I'm bored."

"Still, it would be wise to sleep and rest up for tomorrow. You'll be standing there enduring hours of lectures, straight posture and discipline, and to get through that you're gonna need a lot of refreshing rest." Sarah's eyes narrowed as she noticed the stains on his cadet uniform. "Oh no. You wore your _uniform? _Do you want to look dirty and nasty in front of all those people? No! And there's not enough time to get it cleaned...Jim, the way you act, it's like you don't even _want_ to graduate from the Academy!"

"I'll be fine, Mom. Really. It's just a few, um, well, no one's gonna care. Nobody's perfect." Jim protested, trying to hide the brown and black splotches that adorned his pants at the knees.

"The immortal excuse." Sarah sighed. She shook her head, a slight grin spreading across her face. "Well then, you'd best be off to bed. You have a long day ahead of you."

"Sure thing." Jim said, half of his words part of a yawn. He trudged up the stairs to his room, his shoes leaving dirt caked on the carpet. Sarah rolled her eyes again. "Manly of him." she said, then headed for her own room.

Jim flopped down on his bed and sighed. He kicked off his boots and folded his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. His heart rate had finally slowed to near normal speed.

_Graduation. Tomorrow._

He, Jim Hawkins, would finally move up in the world not twelve hours from now.

Training and schooling at the Interstellar Academy was hard work, but Jim was finally through. Now he could get a commission, a ship, a life. A life beyond Montressor and dirty dishes and absentee fathers.

_Silver said I'd rattle the stars._

_Well, time to get rattling._

Jim rolled over and picked up a worn-out data manual. He glanced at it then threw it aside; it was boring and totally not worth his attention. He needed something to do. His adrenaline was still going and it was going to be at least an hour till he actually got to sleep.

He flinched as something small, slimy and incredibly fast smacked into his back, pushing him down onto the bed. The swift little being whizzed around Jim's head like an electron orbiting a nucleus, all the while chattering nonsense. Jim reached out with one hand and caught the creature. "Gotcha." he muttered, smirking. Just as his fingers closed over it, it split into separate pieces and reappeared outside his hand. _"Gotcha! Gotcha!" _it chirped, swaying back and forth as it hovered in midair.

"Hiya, Morph." Jim said, stroking the blob's head. Morph made a purring noise and slithered around Jim's wrist. The cheery little amoeba-like creature had once belonged to the cyborg pirate John Silver, the man-- or mostly man-- who had turned Jim's life around. When Silver escaped, he had left Morph with Jim, a sort of gift. Since then Jim and Morph had become inseparable.

"I'm graduating tomorrow, Morph." Jim said, watching as the stars glittered high above. "I'm finally going to be my own man. Won't that be fun." Morph settled down next to Jim's shoulder. "I'll get a ship and a crew and explore places where no one's ever been...maybe I'll even find more treasure. Hopefully it'll be nothing like last time." Morph nodded in agreement. "Captain Jim Hawkins. That has a nice ring to it. _Captain _Hawkins. Yeah."

_Silver would be proud._


	2. Chapter 2: Escape

Chapter Two: Escape

Maria poked wearily at her breakfast with a fork, staring at the delicious food as if it was poison. Never did she dine with her parents-- no, they didn't want any morning visitors to catch a glimpse of their "deformed" daughter. She could hear her older brother John telling some cheesy joke downstairs, followed by the elegant, accented voices of her parents discussing some purchase on some faraway planet that had gone wrong. She shifted her legs beneath the covers and her food tray slanted dangerously. Using a self control she prided herself on, she kept it balanced and resumed eating, finishing off the last of the bacon. She drank her juice and sighed. "I'm through, ANN." she said.

ANN clicked over and took the tray, scrutinizing the remaining food. "Is Miss Maria not hungry today?"

"Miss Maria would like to be left alone...please." Maria replied, huddling down in her bed. Her android nanny exited the room, shutting the door behind her. After her footsteps faded Maria climbed out of bed and began rearranging items on her shelf, dusting off her dolls and shuffling through papers. She paused to look at herself in the mirror. How she hated the way she looked: thin, sickly, weak. So pale, so small. She was nearly seventeen but she looked only fourteen thanks to a rail-thin figure and nonexistent muscles. _It's a wonder I don't have bedsores_, she thought glumly.

_Montressor's lanes and shops are jam packed today_, she noted as she looked out the window. She knelt on her bed and gazed down at the outside world, a world she could see but never touch. Merchants, sailors and businessmen crowded the sidewalks, hawking wares or hurrying along to avoid being late to some meeting or another. Maria took it all in with a pensive gaze. She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear someone enter her room.

"Boo."

She whirled, her heart hammering in her chest, then relaxed when she saw it was only her brother. "John you cad, you're going to be the death of me if you keep scaring me like that." she scolded, but a warm smile touched her face. "What are you doing here? Don't you have graduation today?"

Squire John Copernicus Trelawney crossed his arms and threw out his chest, proud of his spotless white and gold uniform. "Why yes I do, sis. And I'm fit as a fiddle and ready for it. Don't I look dashing and debonnair in this regal uniform?"

"You look like a jerk in a nice suit. Not really. You look positively daring." Maria remarked, sizing him up. Unlike his sister, John had thick black hair and dark brown eyes, and his skin had a healthy tan. He held out both arms in an imploring gesture. "Well, aren't you wondering why I'm here?"

"I already asked you that-- yes." Maria said, her single hand on her hip.

"Well, I was just thinking...I'm graduating today from the Interstellar Academy, which is a very big deal for me. It's a very very big deal for our entire family, including you. Especially you; without you I wouldn't have made it past junior high. So I'm suggesting that I take you to my graduation ceremony! It'll be grand! You can meet people and see the best parts of Montressor! And Mum and Dad don't have to know a thing. They're going to see the prefect of Yusper 7 today, so you won't have to worry about them. We'll have the party all to ourselves. What do you say?" John blurted, his eyes eager.

Maria gasped and sat down hard on her bed, stiff. "Wha...wow...you mean...out of the house? In the streets? Without...ANN? Without...being hidden?"

"Yes, yes. Oh. ANN." John's expression soured. "There's a matter that might complicate things."

"We could lock her in a closet!" Maria said brightly.

"Don't you remember? We tried that. She blew up the lock and made sure we got grounded for months. I am _SO_ not doing that again." John grimaced.

"Right. Ugh. So it's not a good plan after all." Maria hung her head, downcast. "It was nice of you to offer to do that, John."

"Now don't go giving up just yet. I think I might know just how to distract our dear ANN." John murmured, raising one eyebrow. "Refresh my memory: doesn't ANN hate dirt? And whenever there's a stain on the carpet she'll go ballistic trying to clean it up? She worked on that last one for hours and hours."

"What are you suggesting?" asked Maria, sensing mischief.

"A distraction. A big fat ugly messy _super_-distraction. Just give me fifteen minutes and I'll show you what I mean." John answered, an evil gleam in his dark eyes.

...............................

Mr. and Mrs. Trelawney left right after mid-morning tea. Alfred and Katarina bid farewell to ANN and John as they climbed into their carriage. Both parents were middle aged and dressed in the finest of clothes. Alfred even wore a monocle. "Johnny darling, do try to be serious during the ceremony. I should hate to learn that a Trelawney ruined his own advancement." Katarina admonished, her nose in the air as always.

"Yes, Mum." said John, bowing slightly. "I won't let our family's name down."

"Good boy. And be sure to get there on time. A Trelawney is never late." Alfred said, donning his top hat. "And make sure that Maria has plenty of educational materials to busy herself with today before you leave for the Academy Hall."

"I will." John said. He and ANN watched as the two haughty aristocrats rode off, their heads held high as they passed by beings of a "lesser" station in social class.

As soon as John entered the house he dragged the soles of his boots across the floor, leaving two horrific mud stains nearly six feet long.

"Oh, ANN, I do believe that I forgot to wipe my feet. Do clean that up." John said, giving his best Father impersonation.

ANN hurried to the task, little nozzles and spray bottles popping out of her midsection as she tried to remove the stains as quickly and efficiently as possible.

While ANN was busy doing that, John ran to the parlor and emptied a container of ink pens. He pulled back the stems on each one and broke them, and ink spurted onto the ornate wallpaper. "Oh ANN, the pens have leaked a bit. Do clean that up too." he called, running into the next room.

**Fifteen minutes later...**

Soon there were several horrific and impossible-to-clean stains in the Trelawney mansion, all courtesy of John. ANN was still busy with the tracks in the foyer.

"Come on, I've bought us some time." John urged, entering Maria's room. He helped her tie the remaining ribbons on her fancy gown. She pinned the right sleeve of her dress to the back, making it look as though her arm was behind her back. She made sure that her hair looked decent, donned a pretty overcoat, then turned to John. "Do I look...presentable?" she asked, a bit nervous.

"Nonsense. You look _lovely_. Let's be off!" John insisted, taking her single hand and whisking her out the door. They hurried down the stairs and headed for the front door. ANN was busy in the parlor trying to remove the terrible ink splotches on the wall. John quickly and quietly eased Maria out the door and shut it behind them, then led her by the hand to the roadside. Maria's eyes were as wide as saucers as she suddenly took in the world she had always seen, always watched, but had never touched. Scents and sights and sounds entered her mind and produced a sensory overload of sorts. She couldn't move. She was frozen, awestruck.

"Come on, move." John said, tugging at her arm. "We must reach the Academy Hall before ANN notices we're gone. You can stop and stare later."

"I...it's just...so..." Maria fumbled for words. "_Big._"

"It's the world, my dear." John grandly proclaimed, sweeping his arm out in an all-encompassing gesture. "It's everything and everyone."

Maria was now squinting-- her eyes were unused to bright light, much less sunlight, due to the tinted windows of her prison-like home-- but still she stared at each passerby, gawking at each sign and vehicle. John waved over a cabby and helped Maria into the carriage. She sat down on the seat and craned her thin neck to see more of the exciting new world she had just entered. John adjusted the collar of his coat beside her and payed the driver a few coins. "To the Academy Hall, please. And snappy." he ordered in his best aristo tone.

The carriage started moving down the street. Maria took in every new spectacle with bugged eyes and a delirious feeling. There was so much to see, to do! So many people! So many things! So many new sights! There really was a world outside her dreary window!

"Oh John," she breathed, speechless, a tear forming in one eye, "This is a dream come true!"

"I knew you'd be overjoyed. I've been planning this for a while now. I didn't tell you till today for fear you'd chicken out over time." John said, patting her shoulder. "You shall meet my friends and learn to waltz. Perhaps you may even make a few friends among the young ladies of Montressor. Who knows? You may even catch some handsome boy's eye."

"I highly doubt that." Maria said sadly, casting a despairing look at her stump of an arm.

"Pish posh. You'll see. There's more to life than having two arms." John said dismissively, waving one hand. "Mum and Dad might mean well but they've been awfully rude, keeping you locked up like they do. I intend to give you all the experiences a young woman your age should have." He cocked his head and his face took on a more tender look. "I do hope you will enjoy this. I should hate for it to overwhelm you in a negative way."

"Oh, I'll be fine." Maria said, her voice somewhat distant. "This is an adventure. One I've been hoping for all my life."

….................................

Jim Hawkins shifted from one foot to the other as he waited in a crowd of fellow cadets and graduating elites, his calm blue gaze flitting from face to face as they passed him by. Only a half hour till the big moment. Till then he would socialize, make small talk and sip his wine while trying to hide the hideous stains on his pants.

He studied a few girls impassively. They looked silly and shallow. He had had his share of crushes and short dates, but none of them seemed to really spark anything beyond a slight interest. His less-than-perfect past was a slight hinderance too. Any well-bred girl had parents who had heard rumors and gossip of his delinquency days. Thus he was not allowed to date any well-bred girls. Even his adventures on the _Legacy _coupled with a handsome amount of treasure in his bank account wasn't enough to ingratiate him with them.

On the other hand, there were greedy, money-loving girls who clung to him like parasites, hoping they would be able to take advantage of his wealth and fame. _No way_.

A hand clapped him on the shoulder and around he spun, then found himself face to face with one of his classmates, the young squire John Trelawney. Both young men smiled and shook hands. "Ah, Jim, good to see you. You're looking ship-shape and top-fashion today. Ready for the big jump?"

"Big jump?"

"Yes, the big jump. We, the adolescent miscreants in starched-stiff uniforms, shall become the respected adults of the Royal Navy. Isn't that astral?" John exclaimed, stars in his eyes, saying his words in a dramatic announcer voice.

"Yeah, guess so. My mom came to see me get my diploma and papers and stuff." Jim pointed out Sarah to John. She waved at them.

"Is that so? Well then, I shall have to make her acquaintance. Oh! Speaking of making someone's acquaintance, I have someone with me you simply _must _meet. My sister, Maria Elizabeth..." His voice trailed off as he searched the crowd for her face. "Oh blast. She must have wandered off."

"I'll help you find her. What's she look like?" Jim offered.

"She's five feet tall, thin, wavy copper-colored hair, blue eyes...and, um, well, that's about it. Very pale, too. A wallflower, might I add." John said, not wanting to reveal that she only had one arm. _She might kill me for that!_

"Okay. I'll see if I can find her." Jim said, turning to go. John went in the opposite direction, stepping on toes and running into people as he craned his neck and tried to see over their heads. Jim smiled halfway, knowing John's capacity for clumsy and sometimes addled actions.

Elsewhere in the ballroom, Maria stood like a lonely flower away from the rest of the attendees, her eyes wide and her heart hammering away inside her chest. She was terrified. Never had she dreamed that being among so many people would be so scary. Like a frightened doe she remained rooted to the spot, choking down hysteria and trembling like a leaf.

Suddenly she saw a young man coming in her direction, his head raised and his eyes searching the faces in the crowd. He paid no attention to anyone, his gaze full of intensity and anticipation as he looked at every passing person. Maria shrank back instinctively, knowing that if someone so much as asked her her name she would pass out.

"Ah, Maria! There you are." Her brother's voice sang out. She saw him coming toward her and felt relieved. But the young brunette man with the blue eyes came too.

"Jim, I want you to meet Maria, my little- er, my _younger _sister. She's going to be eighteen on her next birthday." John said proudly, indicating Maria, whose face had taken on an ashen pallor. "Maria, this is Jim Hawkins, one of my classmates. He's also one of my best friends and a very skilled pilot."

"Jim...Hawkins?" Maria breathed, her voice barely audible. "The boy who found Treasure Planet? That Jim Hawkins?" Her eyes were near popping.

"Um...yeah. It's me." Jim said, feeling awkward and sheepish. "Pleased to meet you, Mar-- er, Miss Trelawney." He gave a slight bow, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly. _Don't be a dork, Jim._

"I...I've read all about you...I've..." Maria stammered, trying to organize her thoughts, but the strain on her delicate nerves proved to be too much and she fainted. She fell over in a swoon. Quick as a wink, Jim caught her before she could hit the floor. He eased her down and began fanning her face with his handkerchief. "Hey, somebody get a doctor!" he yelled.


	3. Chapter 3: First dance

Chapter Three: First Dance

(author's note: if you have not read chapter two, know that Maria just passed out)

"What have I done? I've killed her! I've killed her!" wailed John, pulling at his hair. "I should have known her nerves were too unused to people and parties and-"

"Calm down. I think she just passed out." Jim assured his friend, as he stared down into the girl's face. She was pretty, but she seemed otherworldly-- her skin was like a china doll's, she weighed next to nothing and she seemed...well, different. He lifted one eyelid to make sure she was okay and a sky blue iris gleamed at him.

A four-armed Gundalin medic waddled over, pushing past the ring of spectators. Jim propped the unconscious girl up with both arms and held her safely. "A whiff of this should wake her right up." the doctor said, wetting a cloth with a salve from a small bottle. He held the scented fabric below her nostrils for a few seconds with one pudgy tentacle-hand. Her eyelids fluttered, she sneezed, then she started coughing. Jim eased her up and knelt on one knee while John wrung his hands and bit his lip.

Maria's surroundings came into focus just as she got over smelling that horrifically sweet odor. She saw the face of Jim only a foot from hers and her eyes widened, but she didn't freak out. "Oh...I'm so sorry. I fainted, didn't I?"

"Perhaps you should sit down." John blurted, taking her and leading her to a chair. She sat and shook her head to get rid of the nauseated feeling produced by the smelling salts. "Ugh." she moaned.

Jim walked to John's side. "Um, maybe I should just go-"

"No." Maria exclaimed. "You're fine. I...I guess I was just so surprised to meet you. I wasn't expecting to meet a young hero at my brother's graduation." She looked the young man over from head to toe. He was handsome indeed, though his trousers were a bit soiled at the knees. His eyes met hers and stayed there. He turned red a bit at the mention of the word "hero".

"You flatter me, Miss Trelawney." Jim said. He approached her and stopped short when he noticed her sleeve. It hung loose and empty from her right shoulder, no arm in it. He didn't mean to stare, but his eyes lingered there a bit too long.

Maria saw what he was staring at and turned away, embarrassed and upset. "Don't stare at me like I'm some kind of freak! If you're going to do that then you might as well go away!"

"I wasn't staring...well, maybe I was, but..." Jim went to her side and she flinched away from him. "I-I don't think you're some kind of freak. Hey, give me another chance. Please?"

"The ceremony's about to start." an aide said, pulling on Jim's sleeve. "You'd best get going."

Jim chewed his lip, then turned to go. He stopped and cast her one last pleading look. "I'm sorry." he said, then headed for the grand platform where all the cadets would line up to receive their diplomas.

John sighed and took his sister's hand. "Will you be all right?" he asked, concerned.

Maria nodded, staring after Jim. She felt somewhat guilty for snapping at him like that. "I'll be fine, thank you." she said softly.

….........................

Jim handed Sarah his diploma along with all the awards and trappings he had earned. "Oh Jim, you looked so handsome and tall up there! Just like Le-" Sarah suddenly broke off and looked a bit uneasy, then smiled. "You're a man now."

Jim hugged his mother, his face suddenly downcast.

_Why does she have to bring up Dad?_

"JIM!"

Four small, furry and incredibly swift presences slammed into Jim's legs, grabbing on and refusing to let go. Jim looked down to see the four Dopplar children beaming up at him, smiling mischievous smiles. The three catlike sisters and single doglike brother were all balls of energy, and wherever they were, Ameliya was bound to be close by.

"Hiya Jim! Mom brought us to see you graduate! You look so cool in a uniform!" Daniel, the boy, exclaimed, tugging on Jim's pants. "Can I have a uniform?"

"Can you take us solar surfing, Jim? Pleeeeeease? Can I have a Morph?" bubbled the most hyperactive kitten, Annabelle, the one that most resembled her mother in the face. "How come I can't play with your turboshaft?"

"Jim!" squeaked the smallest kitten girl, Estelle, the shy one with the dark hair. She beckoned for him to bend down as if she had some secret to whisper to him. He bent down and she cupped her hand to his ear. "Will you marry me someday?" she asked with all the innocent seriousness a child can have.

"Jim, why is there dirt all over your pants?" asked the brainiac of the Dopplar brood, the fair-haired kitten girl named Bella. She wore glasses that made her green eyes look huge.

"Children! Stop accosting Master Hawkins and mind your manners!" barked an imperious but loving female voice. Former captain Ameliya Smollett-Dopplar strode up to Sarah and Jim, cutting a superb figure in her brisk blue outfit. All the young men in the crowd watched as she passed by, her confidant feline walk full of grace and poise. Behind her hurried Doctor Delbert Dopplar, a genial smile on his face.

"Ah, Mrs. Hawkins, top of the morning to you." Ameliya said, patting Annabelle on the head. "We saw dear Jim receive his awards. I must say, I am quite pleased."

"As am I. He's earned these honors." Sarah said, her eyes full of a mother's pride.

"It's good to see you again, Cap- er, I mean, Mrs. Dopplar." Jim said, bowing slightly. Ameliya raised one delicate eyebrow. "And quite the gentleman too."

"Are you sure they didn't brainwash him?" joked Delbert. "No, really; Jim, you have improved excellently. I'm sure they'll be singing your praises once you get out there and take your place in the fleet."

"Yeah." Jim said, his thoughts suddenly far away. "Singing my praises..."

_I wish Silver could've seen it._

Presently Jim wandered off to a lonely corner, a glass of champagne in one hand. He sat on the edge of a railing and let his boots dangle off the edge. The wind blew, messing up his perfectly combed hair. He dragged it down into bangs with his fingers, then enjoyed the passing breeze.

He tipped the champagne glass back, ready to sip it and relax, but as soon as it touched his lips it twisted and changed into a pinkish blob that chortled and squealed at his expression, which was something between surprise and disgust.

"Ugh, Morph." He wiped his mouth. "That was _so _not a kiss. Yech."

Morph turned into a pair of big red lips and made kissy noises.

"Knock it off, will ya?" Jim's mouth quirked into a smile. But the smile faded as his mind turned to deeper matters. "I should be happy, Morph." he murmured, propping his chin on one fist. "I should be in there partying and being happy. But I'm not." He looked up at the sky, which was getting cloudy. "That was one of the greatest moments in my life and..." He sighed. "And my dad missed it."

He shrugged. "Of course, my dad missed a lot of stuff. I guess it's cause Mom says I look like him. I dunno, I just..." He stared hard at Morph. "Why am I even telling you? You can't do anything about it."

Morph seemed to wilt and his jelly lip trembled.

"Aw, c'mere. I didn't mean it like that." Jim rubbed Morph and sighed. "I guess I'm just cranky."

"No. You're just feeling hurt. You have every right to be a little downcast." a voice said from behind.

Jim turned to see Maria standing there, her loose sleeve tucked in. She cocked her head and pursed her lips, her deathly pale cheeks turning slightly pink. "Oh. I'm sorry. I just came to tell you...apology accepted, Jim Hawkins. I shouldn't have been so curt." She turned to go. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"Um...wait. Don't leave." Jim stood up and faced her. "I'm not offended. I seem to have developed a bad habit of talking to Morph here." He jerked a thumb at Morph, who turned into a mini-Jim and did the same back.

"Wow...what _is _that thing? He's so cute!" Maria gasped, her eyes wide. Jim noticed that though her eyes were hollow, they seemed to be stuck in a constant wide state. Maybe she was just the easily amazed type.

"Um...he's a...well, Morph. They guy who gave him to me never told me quite what he is." Jim said, shrugging. Maria tentatively held out her hand, and Morph came to her like a puppy. She stroked him and he burbled happily.

"He's very sweet." Maria remarked. She flicked her sea blue gaze at Jim. "I hope you don't think I have some kind of disease or something. I was just born without an arm." She looked away as if ashamed. "My parents think I'm deformed."

"Deformed? Impossible." Jim shook his head. "Even stars are different. You're just...unique. Special. In a good way." He wondered why his mouth kept running off such mushy gushy rot while his brain panicked. "Um, would you like some...uh, punch? I'll get it for you."

"No, no punch." Maria said. She leaned against the wall as if very, very tired. "I just wanted to talk to someone. I don't have many friends." She meant to say "any", but didn't want it to sound weird.

"That's a bummer." Jim felt like slapping himself. _How am I supposed to talk to a girl I don't even know, who I previously scared to near death?_

There was an awkward silence, then Jim felt extremely nervous. "Um, I'll just...go, then." he fumbled, backing away. He turned to head back for the floor, but something made him look back.

Maria had taken his place at the open space, appearing small and weak and sad. Overhead in the sky rainclouds rumbled thunder. The wind carried her curly ginger-brown hair up and back, as if she was flying. He could see that her head hung and her small shoulders slumped. She seemed to be the perfect picture of dejection.

Jim scowled, felt a pang of pity, then trudged back to her. Morph followed, curious.

"Y'know what?" Jim said, staring off into the distance just as she was doing, "I once knew this guy who had one arm."

"Really." said Maria, her voice dull and whispery. Sad.

"Yeah. Well, one living arm. The other one was like a hi-tech robot arm. He was a cyborg." Jim said. He looked up at the sky. "He and I found Treasure Planet together."

Maria turned her head and looked at him, her interest piqued. "Really?" she said again, only this time she didn't sound like she was dying.

"Uh-huh. His name was Silver. John Silver." Jim explained. He put one arm on the column and used the other to shield his eyes as a shaft of sunlight pierced through the clouds. "Finding that treasure was his dream and he'd do anything to get it. Anything. He led a mutiny and then we found the treasure. I thought he had put me aside to follow his dream. But when the planet fell apart, he saved my life. He dropped a big bunch of treasure to do it, too."

"Amazing." Maria breathed. "What happened to him?"

"Captain Ameliya intended to turn him in for piracy." Jim said. "But I let him go."

"Why?"

Jim shrugged. "I guess...'cause he saved my life. And..."

_And he filled the empty place my father left behind._

"And what?"

"He was my friend. I couldn't just let him go to jail. It would have broken his heart." Jim said, shifting uneasily. Talking about it made him feel uncomfortable, as if the very Admiralty were listening.

"You did the right thing." Maria said softly. Jim's eyebrows arched in surprise. "Didn't think you'd say that, but thanks."

"I'm not just a rich girl with one arm." Maria said in a sigh. "My parents have kept me locked in my own house my whole life. They're embarrassed of me. My brother risked a lot smuggling me out today." She looked up at Jim. "This is my first day out of my own house, ever. Being shut in breaks my heart."

Jim could not conceal his amazement. "Whoa." he whistled. "That's...awful. Now I know why you fainted. I'm so sorry." He placed one hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you decided to come."

"Really?" Maria smiled, her cheeks dimpling. Jim noticed that when she smiled her eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Yeah. Really." For the first time he noticed that they were mere inches apart. Maria's heart was thudding like a clock in overdrive but she refused to cower. Jim was so handsome, so...what was it? Honest? Straightforward? Nice? Friendly? All in one?

"Thank you." Maria whispered, her mind lost in Jim's royal blue eyes.

"Jim?"

Sarah came toward them, puzzled at seeing her son a mere few inches from a girl. "Jim, who is this?"

"Um, Mom, this is Maria Trelawney." Jim said, indicating Maria. "Maria, this is Sarah Hawkins, my mom."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Hawkins." Maria said, curtsying.

Sarah's expression softened as she took in the girl's sickly, thin appearance. "The same to you, Miss Trelawney." She cocked an eyebrow at Jim.

Jim began to explain. "We just met, Mom. One of my friends introduced us. I was just, y'know, getting acquainted with her."

"I see." Sarah decided to leave them alone. After all, her son was at the marrying age...and he usually avoided girls. This was a unique first-time situation. "I'll see you later, Jim. I'm going to enjoy Delbert's company."

"Okay." Jim watched his mother walk away, then stared at the crowd. Someone had put on some music and a waltz had begun. Couples were now slow dancing hand in hand.

"Before you ask...I can't dance." Maria said. "I never learned."

Jim was suddenly stuck. "Um, I can't dance either. I never paid attention."

They both laughed nervously.

"Well," Jim said wryly, after a long pause, "We could both look dumb together."

"I-" Maria began, hesitant.

"C'mon."

Jim literally dragged her onto the dance floor. He glanced sideways at a couple, tried to copy their stance with his hands and posture, then started in a slow, halting version of what everyone else was doing. Maria tried to follow, nervous and paler than death. Jim could feel her shaking. "Relax, no one's going to bother us. I gotcha." he said, giving her a confident smirk.

"I know. I've just never done this before. I've never done a lot of things before and now I'm scared to death." Maria admitted. "And everyone's probably staring at me because I only have one arm and I dance like a fool."

"Nah." Jim said. "If they are staring, it's cause they're jealous that I'm dancing with you."

Maria smiled despite her fears. "You really mean that?"

"Really really."

Maria eventually stopped trembling and let her head rest under Jim's chin, simply going with his every move. Jim felt awkward but extremely happy for some reason.

Morph started flying around them, playfully orbiting them as they danced. Nearby, Delbert and Ameliya danced. The four Dopplar children were sitting on the sidelines. "Eew, gross." Daniel whined, covering his eyes.

…..........................

That evening, just as the stars were beginning to appear in the night sky, Jim had to bid Maria goodbye. John Trelawney helped his sister into the carriage and smiled proudly. "See, I told you you'd love it."

"I did." Maria leaned forward to see Jim. "I really enjoyed dancing with you, Jim Hawkins."

"You weren't too bad yourself." Jim half smiled. "Any chance I could see you again tomorrow night?"

Both John and Maria paled. "Erm, no, there isn't." John said unwillingly. "You see-"

"My parents will be furious if they find out what I did today." Maria explained. "I'm not supposed to step out of my room most of the time. But I just had to get out or I would have died of sadness. I can't stand being a bird in a cage."

"I know how you feel." Jim muttered.

"If there was only a way to distract ANN." John sighed. "She's our Advanced-Nanosensory-Nanny android. Bossy, dangerous and prissy. She won't fall for the same trick twice, at least nothing I can pull off. And she wouldn't let Maria out of the house to save her life."

"An android." Jim said to himself, thinking hard. "A really good distraction..."

Suddenly Jim had a perfect, stupendous idea.

"Does your nanny droid need a boyfriend?"


End file.
